Impacts of Sea Level Rise in the South Florida Region

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Impacts of Sea Level Rise in the South Florida
Region

• Presentation to the
• South Florida Regional Planning Council
• September 8, 2003

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Why Sea Level Rise?

• Five warmest average global temperature years on
  record in 1990s
• Tenfold increase in rate of sea level rise over
  20th Century
• Increased rates of beach erosion and acres of
  coastal wetland losses documented

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Why South Florida?

• Low elevations and flat topographic profile
• Tourism economy dependent on beaches and coastal
  resources
• Significant public and private investments in
  vulnerable areas

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Project Genesis

• 1998 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  (USEPA) initiates and funds study of Sea Level
  Rise (SLR) impacts on nations economy
• 2000 USEPA contracts with Southwest Florida
  Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC) to coordinate
  SLR study within Florida
• 2002 SWFRPC contracts with South Florida
  Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) to map SLR in 7
  counties (Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm
  Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe).

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Study Assumptions

• SLR timeframe from 2000 to 2200
• Anticipated SLR rate of 5 feet over 200 yrs
• New coastline based on existing topography, not
  erosion or accretion of sediments
• Open space/conservation areas allowed to be
  inundated by SLR
• Protection of existing developed areas will be
  policy decisions for the future

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Map Legend

• Dark Green wetlands
• Light Green open space/agriculture
• Blue 0-5 uplands inundated by SLR
• Orange 5-10 uplands influenced by SLR
• White - gt10 uplands not affected by SLR

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Policy Implications

• How to raise level of awareness of
  decision-makers, especially elected officials
• Which areas will we choose to protect
• What means will be used to protect
• What will be costs of protection
• How will these costs be budgeted
• How will SLR affect ecological functions

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Next Steps

• Final report on SLR impacts to be submitted to
  EPA in late September, 2003
• Plan to raise awareness of study findings in
  development
• Contact us at www.sfrpc.com